Position Summary

Our Commerce team specializes in planning, buying, executing, and measuring Commerce & Retail Media strategies. This encompasses Shopper Marketing, On-Site and Off-Site Retail Media Digital Ads, retailer-focused influencer collaborations, and shoppable technology solutions designed to drive seamless conversions. Our mission: to empower clients’ commerce, shopper, and customer marketing teams by driving measurable sales online and in-store.

As Director, Shopper & Retail Media, you will lead the development and execution of strategic, results-driven media plans for our commerce client. You will be responsible, with the support of the Shopper Manager, for planning, buying, executing, and measuring campaigns. You will act as a trusted partner for Shopper Marketing plans across all brands under the client’s umbrella.

In collaboration with the Associate Director of Retail Media, you will align retail media strategies with shopper initiatives – inclusive of managed in-store, managed display and offsite retail media campaigns - ensuring cohesive and impactful results. Your expertise will be instrumental to drive innovation, optimize performance, and exceed client goals while developing a best-in-class team.

This position is ideal for a seasoned leader passionate about retail media and shopper marketing who thrives on delivering measurable business outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Client Management

• Build and maintain strong client relationships to ensure timely delivery of Shopper Marketing campaigns and plans.
• Lead client relationships for all shopper media investments.
• Serve as the go-to expert on shopper media performance and retailer relationships.
• Oversee holistic commerce performance and ensure alignment with client goals and KPIs.
• Understand the underlying client needs and recommend solutions/path forward. Once aligned, clearly direct the internal team and manage deliverables with the client.
• Proactively manage client expectations and deliverables.
• Oversee deliverables, including client-facing documents, budget stewardship, and billing.
• Prepare and present client-ready materials, fostering strong partnerships.

Retail Media Network Relationships

• Build and deepen relationships with senior stakeholders at key retail media networks to unlock growth for client’s brands through Shopper Media and Digital Retail Media tactics.
• Negotiate added-value opportunities, custom program elements, and joint collaborations.
• Oversees relationship with media partners and leads negotiation of commerce media for specific programs.
• Assess retail partnerships’ value to drive measurable returns and growth for client brands.
• Utilize internal expertise and proprietary methods to provide strategic guidance and consultancy for joint business partnerships, maximizing value for all parties involved.

Commerce Strategy

• Develop and implement comprehensive shopper marketing aligned with client business objectives, priorities and market trends.
• Lead the development and presentation of integrated shopper media plans across various channels, including in-store, digital, and influencer marketing.
• Responsible for the strategy and the audience insights being funneled down into the tactical media plan.
• Craft go-to-market strategies for the client from a planning and investment perspective.
• Ensure strategic consistency across all elements of plan development and implementation.
• Lead and own the holistic strategy and performance of Retail Media, integrating shopper marketing campaigns with digital retail campaigns.
• Stay abreast of emerging trends and technologies in the shopper marketing and retail media landscape, identifying opportunities for innovation and growth.

Budget Management

• Lead allocation and execution of Retail Media Budget outputs.
• Lead and manage shopper program timelines, approval processes, and program synergy.
• Manage retail media and shopper budgets, ensuring alignment with brand stakeholders and client goals.
• Take accountability for total budget stewardship and identifying cost efficiencies.

Planning & Execution

• Lead commerce & shopper media planning, activation, and stewardship, including direct account and client service responsibilities.
• Guide tactical plan development and implementation with clear, data-driven rationale for client buy-in.
• Supervise the buying process and ensure stewardship for shopper media programs.
• Develop buying guidelines and supervise the buying process and stewardship for media programs.
• Be involved, with defined retail media partners, along in-flight campaigns to push & challenge for optimization opportunities and identify levers for performance improvement.

Reporting & Analytics

• Oversees both media & sales metrics evaluation, ensuring original objectives and strategies are being met.
• Lead measurement post-promotion or post-campaign results using client and retailer-provided data and provide actionable insights to optimize future efforts.

• Leverage campaign performance data and analysis to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement.

• Lead the measurement of media performance throughout all campaign stages to ensure objectives and strategies meet or exceed client expectations.
• Lead the development and delivery of comprehensive reports for stakeholders, including key metrics, insights, and actionable recommendations.

Craft Development

• Lead and mentor a team of shopper marketing and retail media specialists, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment.
• Train the team on best-in-class ways of working and planning fundamentals, effectively communicating agency goals, managing workloads, and providing performance feedback.
• Promote knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and a high-performing team culture and provides thought leadership.
• Develop and implement training programs to enhance team skills and knowledge in shopper marketing and retail media best practices.

Desired Skills & Experience

• Professional or educational background in Commerce, Shopper Marketing, and/or Retail Media.
• Proficiency with omni-channel Retail Media Networks, including experience with Walmart Connect (digital and shopper).
• Proficiency of onsite, offsite, audience, measurement, reporting and experience leading managed service tactics across RMNs. Walmart experience is a plus.
• Experience with other Retail Media networks (Amazon, Advance by Loblaws, Instacart, Flipp) is a plus.
• Proven ability to understand high-level client goals and translate them into effective commerce strategies.
• Understanding of broader media planning and buying to ensure integration and coordination with wider media objectives.
• Excellent quantitative skills. Ability to interpret and analyze data to inform go-to-market strategies
• Previous experience working within an advertising agency and/or Commerce media partner or CPG experience is a must.
• Strong project management; effectively managing multiple projects and meeting tight deadlines under a fast-paced environment.
• Experience with multiple client and business categories.
• Passion for retail media, commerce strategy, data, emerging media, and technology.
• Professional learning agility with a passion for continuous development.
• Client service oriented with a proactive approach to problem solving, assisting the team, and self-development.
• Excellent communication skills: verbal, writing and presenting relevant information to client audiences.
• Highly developed organizational skills with a strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Effectively managing multiple projects and meeting tight deadlines under a fast-paced environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
• Proven track record with client relations and growing existing business.
• Proven knowledge of media planning & planning with use of research tools and resources.
• Ability to manage team, both upwards and downwards, to ensure cross team communication

KINESSO is the technology-driven performance marketing agency that sits at the very heart of IPG Mediabrands, providing actionable growth for both our agency partners and clients. We turn ’action’ into ’outcome’ for our clients, leveraging our unique capabilities in optimization, analytics, AI, and experimentation. KINESSO has brought together the collective power of what was formerly Matterkind, Reprise, and Kinesso under one collective entity that will serve as the most powerful delivery engine in the industry. We have extensive offerings spanning across performance marketing and data and technology. Fueled by a deep understanding of consumer behavior, we offer an end-to-end engine of planning and optimization while also delivering on data-driven strategy for social platforms, actionable growth in e-commerce, and creating curated marketplaces specific to each client’s function and needs. The company has more than 6,000 employees operating in more than 60 countries. Learn more at www.KINESSO.com 

What’s in it for you?
•    Generous paid time off with a minimum of 37 paid days off including vacation and monthly wellness days. We also have four-day long weekends, half-day summer Fridays, and meeting-free Friday afternoons year-round.
•    A flexible hybrid work model that works for you.
•    A focus on personal development with formal training opportunities, including mental health training and inclusion education for everyone.
•    A chance to be part of and grow within a global network of agencies.
•    The opportunity to contribute to our company culture by joining one of our many community-based employee groups, such as Black Employee Network, Girls on Fire, Hispanic or Latinx Alliance, Neuro Network, Pan-Asian Network, and Rainbow Lounge.

KINESSO is an equal opportunity employer, committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, colour, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, disability, or any other basis prohibited by applicable federal, provincial, or municipal law. If you require an accommodation in any aspect of the selection process, please reach out to [email protected]